Presentation to Sciences Po Students of the OECD work with Latin America and the Caribbean, March 2014

1. José Antonio ARDAVIN, Head of the Latin America and Caribbean Unit
Global Relations Secretariat

2. About the OECD
Founded in 1961, The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development is a unique forum where governments can compare policy
experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practices
and co-ordinate domestic and international policies

3. • In 1948, the OEEC (Organisation for European Economic Co-operation), in charge of
co-ordination of the Marshall Plan, was established.
• In 1957, Treaty of Rome was signed.
• In December 1960, the OEEC became the OECD (Canada and USA join OEEC
members followed then by Japan in 1964 and others later).
• In the 1990’s the Organisation opened to Mexico, 4 Central and Eastern European
countries and Korea.
• In 2001, launches a number of “regional approaches” among them, a Regional Approach
to Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
• In 2010, Chile, Estonia, Israel and Slovenia joined the Convention.
• The accession process of Colombia, Latvia and the Russian Federation* is ongoing.
• In May 2007 the OECD started an “Enhanced Engagement” cooperation with Brazil,
China, India, Indonesia and South Africa, currently “Key Partners”
• In 2009, a number Spain and Mexico launch the LAC Initiative
• In 2014 the OECD will start a number of Country Programmes. Peru is one of the
candidate countries to possibly engage through this cooperation tool.
• In 2015, the OECD Council will decide whether to open accession discussions with
Costa Rica and Lithuania. In the intervening period, these countries have presented an
Action Plan of intensified cooperation with the Organisation
Some historical background on the OECD
and highlights on its relationship with Latin America

4. Latin America and the Caribbean
Economic Outlook
LAC and OECD
Growth Rates
Selected LAC Countries
Growth Rates
Source: Data from IMF and CEPLAC
*Estimations for 2013 and previsions for 2014
Source: Data from IMF and Consensus Forecast
* Estimations
** Previsions
During the last decade, Latin America and the Caribbean had one of its best
economic performances with average GDP growth of 5% 2003-2008

5. Low global demand impacts LAC
World trade and LAC GDP growth International commodities prices
Source: Data from IMF Source: Data from Datastream and Bloomberg
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
World trade volume Latin American GDP
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Gas Copper Soy
The current economic environment with “flat trade” and lower commodity prices,
is impacting Latin American economies…

6. The new global environment deteriorates
external balance in LAC
Current Account of Latin American and Caribbean countries (%GDP)
Source: Data from IMF
*Estimations for 2013
…and strengthens the need for a less commodity-dependent growth pattern

7. Note: Productive capabilities index (Appendix 2.A2). Higher values ​​in the variable let a country produce a more sophisticated range of goods. At any given
moment, the capacity variable depends on the level of connectivity of the network of products, which is why it is normalised. Thus a value equal to 0 implies
capability levels equal to the worldwide average. A value of 1 (-1) indicates capabilities one standard deviation above (below) that average.
Source: Authors’ calculations based on data from COMTRADE and Feenstra, R. C., R. E. Lipsey, H. Deng, A. C. Ma y H. Mo (2005), “World Trade Flows: 1962-
2000”, NBER Working Paper Nº 11040.
Productive capabilities indicator (1990 vs 2009)
The region has advanced little in structural change
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
1990 2009
…and advance in the structural reform agenda

8. Latin America and the Caribbean
Political Outlook
Regional trade and political groupings in LAC

9. Pacific Alliance
The emergence of two major trade
communities is an important development…
Mercosur
2014 2015
Average growth
BBVA Estimates
3.8% 3.7%
2014 2015
Average growth
BBVA Estimates
1.5% 1.8%
Mercosur
Population
(millions)
GDP (US$
billions)
GDP per
capita
FDI (US$
millions)
Trade (US$
billions)
Brasil 199 2,252 11,317 76,110 597
Argentina 41 475 11,585 12,128 176
Paraguay 7 25 3,571 363 23
Uruguay 3 50 16,667 2,906 28
Venezuela 30 381 12,700 899 192
Total 280 3,183 11,368 92,406 1,016
% of LAC 46% 55% 48% 34%
Pacific
Alliance
Population
(millions)
GDP (US$
billions)
GDP per
capita
FDI (US$
millions)
Trade (US$
billions)
Mexico 121 1,178 9,736 15,453 793
Chile 17 270 15,882 30,323 184
Colombia 48 370 7,708 15,649 141
Peru 30 204 6,800 12,244 101
Total 216 2,022 9,361 73,669 1,218
% of LAC 35% 36% 40% 41%

10. …as well as the birth of a new regional political
body which groups all 33 LAC countries
~LAC+Spain
and Portugal
~LAC+US and
Canada

11. The OECD and Latin America
General Context
Regional Programmes/ Initiatives
•Latin America and the Caribbean
•MENA
•SEA
•Central Asia
•Eastern Europe
Global Fora
Environment, Eduction,
Trade, Development…
Committees and
Working Parties
Competition, Investment,
Innovation…
Development Centre
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Panama, Peru and
the Dominican Rep. In addition to
Mexico and Chile are members.

12. The OECD and Latin America
A wide collaboration on different fronts…
SOE CGRSBOA-C
INVTAX
COMP
H2OINN
LEO LAC
EcF
LR@GLG@G LPO LGGIPISA’L
COMP
INV
INNOVA-Br Eval
CorpG
SOE Water Gov
MWRH
Start-ups
SMEs
Start-ups
Reg/P.Gov
M.Tax
Ctre
PAC
MEX

13. …linked to the work of respective
committees
SOE CGRSBOA-C
INVTAX
COMP
H2OINN
LEO LAC
EcF
LR@GLG@G LPO LGGIPISA’L
COMP
INV
INNOVA-Br Eval
CorpG
SOE Water Gov
MWRH
Start-ups
SMEs
Start-ups
Reg/P.Gov
M.Tax
Ctre
PAC
MEX Pub. Aff / DisseminationCap. Building

14. …and covering different forms of engagement
SOE CGRSBOA-C
INVTAX
COMP
H2OINN
LEO LAC
EcF
LR@GLG@G LPO LGGIPISA’L
COMP
INV
INNOVA-Br Eval
CorpG
SOE Water Gov
MWRH
A highly visible, horizontal,
regional publication
(w/ ECLAC&CAF)
An annual high level regional
forum (w/ IDB & Bercy)
Policy Dialogue: 9 Networks
Committee’s initiative
Delegation’s
LAC Initiative
Regional Publications
“Flagship”
Thematic
Political Engagement
Country Reviews
Start-ups
SMEs
Start-ups
Reg/P.Gov
Regional CentresM.Tax
Ctre
PAC
MEX Pub. Aff / DisseminationCap. Building

15. In the coming years the OECD will work towards providing
a more strategic framework to better support the region in
its institutional, structural, social and green reforms
SOE CGRSBOA-C
INVTAX
COMP
H2OINN
LEO LAC
EcF
LR@GLG@G LPO LGGIPISA’L
COMP
INV
INNOVA-Br Eval
CorpG
SOE Water Gov
MWRH
Start-ups
SMEs
Start-ups
Reg/P.Gov
Going Institutional Going Structural Going Social Going
Green
Horizontal
Comptroller
General
Min. Finance Min. Economy /
Trade
Min. Edu +
Science/Tech
Mins. Soc /
Health /Dev
Min. Env+
SectorSpecific

16. Currently, some “Key Projects” have
extended our key frameworks to the region
OECD Flagship
publications
Key topic
publications
…produced by the
OECD for the region…
…in partnership with 1… …or more key regional organisations
GfG
Latin
America
Currently in
conversations
G@G
Latin
America
Forthcoming in
2014
Pensions
Outlook
Latin
America
Forthcoming
end 2013

17. …and OECD presence has gained prominence
in key regional events
The Secretary General presents the Latin American Economic Outlook as part of the
official programme of the Iberoamerican Summit with the presence of
(from right to left):
• the Secretary General of OAS,
• the Executive Secretary of ECLAC,
• the President of the CAF-Latin American Development Bank
• the Minister of Finance of Panama

18. On the other side of the coin, Latin American countries have
responded very positively through greater participation in
Committees and adherence to OECD Instruments.
Participation in official bodies and adherence to legal instruments
3
8
2 0 1 2 0 1 1 2
2
2
2
4
3
9
0
13
4
2 0 1
3 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2
2 1
9
6
10
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Bodies
Instruments

19. On the other side of the coin, Latin America’s society is
more and more aware about the OECD …
7140 6203
12114
14778
2370 3616
4869
4655
5756
8205
9013
8491
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
2009 2010 2011 2012
Latin America Chile Brazil
Number of mentions to the OECD in Latin American media

20. …is more and more engaged in obtaining access to
OECD information…
232,712
355,177
396,582
513,448
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
2009 2010 2011 2012
Visitors to OECD Mexico
Centre Webpage
Mexico
50%
Spain
24%
Colombia
8%
Chile
6%
Argentina
4%
Peru
3%
Ecuador
2%
Venezuela
1%
USA
1%
Uruguay
1%
OECD Mexico Centre
Website
Visitors by Country 2012
€400,000
€600,000
€800,000
€1,000,000
Sales from suscriptions to
iLibrary and books in LAC

21. …and more and more engaged with OECD work through
social media
1,835
2,247 7,175
18,930
39,097
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Followers in Twitter
@ocdeenespanol
53
208 569
1,504
4,288
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
5,000
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
"likes" in
Facebook/DatoOCDE

22. In sum…
• Latin America and the Caribbean had during the last decade one of its
best economic performances, with GDP growth averaging 5%
• Much of this growth was owed to the commodity-prices boom
during the last decade, but also, to some extent, to better policies,
notably the macroeconomic and financial areas
• Notwithstanding, the current post-crisis economic environment
is affecting the region and evidences the need to avoid the
“commodity trap” and engage in structural reforms
• In the coming years, the “better policies” part of the equation
is likely to play a more important role in the development of the
region
• In that context, the relationship of the region with the “hub of
best practices”, the OECD, becomes highly relevant

23. In sum…
• The relationship of the OECD with the LAC region started (formally) as
a regional approach in 2001, then gained a relevant momentum
with the launch of the LAC initative in 2009
• The relation with the region is very dynamic. Key drivers are:
• 2 Member Countries (Mexico and Chile)
• 9 Members of the Development Centre (Argentina, Brazil,
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Peru and the
Dominican Republic)
• 1 Accession candidate (Colombia)
• 1 Key Partner (Brazil)
• 1 Intensified Co-operation Programme (Costa Rica)
• Possibly 1 forthcoming Country Programme (Peru)
• higher participation in Committees and Bodies, and
adherence to OECD Instruments.

24. In sum…
• The amount of work in the region is very significant, with today:
• 9 regional networks with different degrees of
development, engaged in an emerging policy dialogue
• 23 projects in the region in 2013 (5 regional projects, 13
country specific, excluding Mexico and Chile, and 5 incorporating
selected countries from the region)
• A number of annual key events, including the IDB-OECD
LAC Forum, the participation in the Iberoamerican Summit
and other key regional events
• The LAC society is increasingly aware about the OECD, using
OECD information and participating in social media

25. Thank you
“Now this is not the end.
It is not even the beginning
of the end. But it is, perhaps,
the end of the beginning”
And as Wiston Churchill said:
www.oecd.org/latinamerica